Carbide lamp



Apr. 3, 1923.

L. E, POLHEMUS v CARBIDE LAMP 1 1,450,867 E. POLHVEMUS CARBIDE LAMP Filed July 15, 1919 Inuenim L; E 'Polhemua 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Apr. 3, i923.

LOUIS E. POLHEMUS, OF MIAMI, ARIZONA.

unnan *sraras CARBIDE LAMP.

Application filed July 15, 1919. Serial NO. 310,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS E. POLHEMUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Miami, in the county of Gila and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carbide Lamps; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it a'ppertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to carbide lamps of the portable type and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved carbide lamp of a minimum number'of parts which shall be easy to operate and clean. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a carbide lamp having improved mechanism whereby the water is effectively distributed over the carbide.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved carbide lamp of the above character which is durable and efficient in use, one that is simple and easy to manufacture, and one that can be placed upon the market at a reasonable cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists infthe novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will, be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the improved carbide lamp.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the same.

Figure 3 is a detail view ofthe reflector.

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. y

Figure 5 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2. H

Figure 6 is a detail horizontal section taken on line 66 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the valve stem. Referring to the drawlngs in detail,

wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 generally indicates the improved 'carbide lamp, which includes the cylindrical body 2, which is cast, molded or stamped from sultable material and includes the side wall 3 and bottom wall 4. The side wall 3 supports the has its upper and lower edges gradually tapered inwardly, as at 6 and 7. The lower face of the flange 5 is made slanting so that when cleaning the old carbide from the lamp the same will have a tendency to leave the lamp body easier. The extreme inner periphery of the flange 5 is tapered downwardly as at 8, to form a seat, the purpose of which will hereinafter more fully appear. The flange 5 divides the body into a pair of compartments 9 and 10, the lower compartment 9 forming the carbide chamber. The extreme upper inner edge of the wall 3 is beveled upwardly and outwardly as at 11 to form a seat. The upper compartment receives the water tank or carrier 12, which includes the lower wall or stopper 13 which has the outer edge thereof tapered downwardly as at 14, so as to snugly the seat 8 formed on the flange 6. The lower wall or stopper 13 is preferably formed from rubber similar to the ordinary wash basin stopper, so that the same can be wedged into position and effectively preventthe escape of gas from the chamber. The outer edge of the bottom wall or stopper 13 has formed thereon the relatively thin side walls 15, which are gradually flared outward and then upward, as at 16, and the upper edge is received in a groove 17 formed in the lower edge of the wall or stopper 18 which is also formed of relatively hard rubber similar to the ordinary wash basin stopper and has its outer end tapered downwardly as at 19 and arranged to fit on the seat 11, which forms a double seal. for preventing the escapement of gas from the carbide chamber. The upper and lower walls or stoppers 18 and 13 are provided with concentric openings 20 and 21 and a nut 22 is fitted in the opening 21 in the lower wall or stopper 13 and the same is provided with outstanding ribs 28, whereby the nut is prevented from rotating in the opening. It is to be understood that the nut can be readily molded in the stopper while the same is being formed. The nut 22 and the upper opening 20 receive the valve stem 24 which has its lower end threaded as at 25 and rotatable inthe nut 22. The upper wall 18 is provided with the central enlargement 26, through which the valve stem 24 extends and the upper end of the valve stem is provided with the head 27 upon which is fitted the operating handle 28, provided with a central opening in its lower surface which rota-tably receives the enlargement 26. A suitable key or screw 29 extends from the handle 28 into the head 27 so that upon rotation of the handle the valve stem will be rotated therewith. To prevent the hand from slipping on the handle 28 the outer edge thereof is provided with a plurality of grooves 30, so that a firm grip may be obtained. The handle 28 is provided with an opening 28 which is adapted to be brought into registration with the opening 29 formed in the upper wall or stopper 18 when a supply of water is to be poured into the tank. The upper wall or stopper 18 is also provided with an air inlet opening 30. The handle may also be provided with a suitable indicator to cooperate with the graduations formed on the upper wall or stopper 18, so as to indicate the position of the valve stem in the water compartment. The lower end of the valve stem 24 extends below the lower wall or 1 stopper 13 and into the carbide chamber 9 and the same is reduced as at 31 and carries the water distributing plate 32 which is keyed or otherwise secured thereto as at The water distributing plate 32 is formed in sections or leaves 34-, 35, 36 and 37, each of which are substantially quarter of a circle and successively extend a further distance from the center thereof, for a purpose which will hereinafter more fully appear. The valve stem 24 is provided with groovesBS, 39 -iO and ll, which form ports for allowing the water to escape from the water chamber into the carbide chamber and thesegrooves are formed of varying lengths, so that the same are brought successively above the upper edge of the wall. or stopper 13 for permitting the escape of water from the chamber. Thus, when the valve is turned a slight distance the groove 38' being longer will ride above the upper wall or stopper and allow the water to escape from the water compartment 10. Upon turning the valve stem farther, the groove or port 39 will be brought above the level of the wall or stopper and allow the water to escape therefrom and so on. It can be seen that the port or groove 38 alines with the leaf 34, the port 39 alines with the: leaf 35, the port 40 alincs with the leaf 36, and the port 41 with the leaf 37. Each of the leaves are provided with diverging outwardly extending grooves 12, so as to'guide the water from the ports to the outer edges of the leaves, and the upper edge of this plate'is gradually inclined outwardly and downwardly towards its outer edge, as at 43, 'as clearly shown in the drawings. Thus it will be seen that the water is first fed to the outer edge of the carbideand is then g-adually fed towards the central portion of the carbide. The

upper surface of the wall or stopper 13 is provided with an annular upstanding rib LL, which forms a valve seat for the valve lower surface of the wall or stopper 13 is also provided with an annular rib 46, and the valve stem can be turned so as to bring the water feed distributing plate 32 into engagement with the same and thuseifectively cut off the supply or" watertheretor This forms means for preventing the escape of water from the tank when it is desired to remove the tank from the upper chamher and as the plate 32 engages the lower wall or stopper it forms means whereby a direct pull may be exerted upon the same for removing the same from its seat. The valve stem is also providedwith a disk shaped member 18, which is adapted to en gage the lower surface of the upper wall or stopper 18, when the water distributing plate 32 engages the annular rib 46, so as to also form means for facilitating the removal of the stoppers from their seat when it is desired to remove: the water chamber therefrom. By providing the disk member 18 andthe water distributing member the water tank is prevented from collapsing during removal of the same from the carbide chamber. The-diverging ribs 42 which form guides for distributingthe water are broken intermediatethe-ends thereof as at 46, so as to form an annular seat for receiving the annular rib e6. The leaves 34, 35, 36 and 37 are also provided with channels or water ways 49 intermediate the guide ribs 42. The wall 3 is provided with the outstanding enlargement 50, which is cast with the body or formed separately therefrom and'secured to the body inany preferred manner andthe same is provided with the port 52 which forms means for feeding the gas from the carbide chamber 9 to the burner 53, which is of the ordinary or any preferred construction. The enlargement 50 is provided with a nipple 51, which is internally screw threaded. for receiving this burner and absorbent'cotton 55 or the like may be fitted into the nipple so asto effectively strain the gas. The water distributing plate 32 also :provides means for preventing the small particles of carbide from being carried to the burner with the gas, as thewater distributing plate forms a battle for the sameend as-the gas arises and carries the small particles of carbide therewith the same comes in contact with the plate and the small particles of carbide hitting against the plate fall back into the carbide chamber.

The upper outer edge of the wall 3 is provided with oppositely bulged outstanding pins or ears 56 which receive the lowerv terminals of the bail or handle 57, which is provided with eyes 58 for receiving the pins. The pins 56 may be integral with or a separate part of the lamp and placed thereon as deemed best by the manufacturer of the lamps. The bail 57 may be provided with outstanding pins 60 to prevent the bail from swinging on the pins if so desired, and these lugs have a tendency to hold the upper stopper 18 on its seat. The pins 60 may be secured to the bail or formed integrally with the bail .by slotting the metal and stamping a portion of the same inwardly, if so desired. The upper central portion of the bail has swivelly secured thereto the hook 61, by means of which the carbide lamp may be readily hung in position.

A reflector 62 formed of suitable nickel plated or aluminum material is provided with the lower cutout portion 63, whereby the same can readily straddle the outstanding enlargement 51, and this reflector carries the U-shaped member 64, the legs of which are adapted to be received in spaced openings formed in the enlargement, so as to effectively hold the reflector in position thereon. A pair of holes 65 are formed in spaced relation to the holes 65, so that the lower terminals of the legs 64 of the U- shaped member may be inserted therein when so desifed and when the legs are placed in these holes, the reflector is held at an angle and overlies the burner 53, and this is often found desirable when working in damp mines or in rainy weather.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that an improved carbide lamp is provided of extremely simple and durable con struction which is easy to operate and includes a minimum number of parts, whereby the same is prevented from very easily becoming out of order.

I desire to emphasize that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention as set forth.

What I claim as new is:

1. A distributing mechanism provided with discharge Ways of different lengths, a distributing plate having discharge means of different lengths radiating from the center thereof and communicating with said ways, and means whereby said discharge ways may successively and one at a time be brought into communication with a source of supply whereby liquid from said source may be supplied by said ways from the outer edge of said plate gradually toward the center of said plate.

2. A distributing mechanism having a stem provided with discharge passage ways terminating at different heights to vary their length, said stem being movable to successively establish communication between said passageways and a source of supply one at a time, and means cooperating with said passageways whereby liquid may be supplied by said passageways gradually and in a direction toward the stem.

3. A distributing mechanism having a distributing plate, a plurality of means to discharge material therefrom at different distances from its marginal edge, a plurality of discharge means for communication with said first means, and means operable to suecessively effect communication between a source of supply and said second mentioned discharge means.

4. A discharge means having a stem provided with discharge passageways, a distributing plate on said stem having discharge leaves in cooperative relation with said passageways, said leaves terminating at dif ferent distances from the stem, said passageways terminating at different distances from the plate, and said stem being movable to successively establish communication between said passageways and a source of supply.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS E. POLHEMUS.

Witnesses H. S. LONGLEY, H. C. DAUQU'IER. 

